A high-resolution neutron gravity spectrometer

The principle and possible layout of a novel type of spectrometer for very slow neutrons are described, where the maximum reach of the flight parabola is used for monochromatization and energy analysis. This spectrometer is expected to admit of a resolution of about 10^–8 eV. It could be used for very-high resolution quasi-elastic scattering, e.g. due to hyperfine splitting, or due to the slow fluctuations at phase transitions, in polymers and biological substances.Work supported by the German Bundesministerium für Forschung und Technologie     

A novel high-resolution interference spectrometer

A novel precision wavemeter is presented with a resolution of better than 0·01 nm. A Sagnac interferometer with two diffraction gratings forms the basis of the instrument. Using spatial heterodyning techniques and a CCD camera/frame grabber data acquisition system allows fast computer control and power spectrum analysis. The mode structure and mode hopping characteristics of a typical laser diode were examined as a function of diode injection current.     

A high-resolution spatial heterodyning interference spectrometer

A novel spectrometer which has a resolution of 0.013 nm with high throughput is described. The system uses a Michelson interferometer in which the mirrors have been replaced with Littrow-mounted diffraction gratings. First-order diffracted beams returning from the gratings interfere at the interferometer output to produce a spatial interferogram which is heterodyned about an optical frequency determined by the setting angles of the gratings. The heterodyning process leads to increased resolution, but limits the free-spectral range of the instrument to, in our case, about 3 nm. This is sufficient for characterizing narrow-band sources such as laser diodes. We present the theory of operation of the instrument and some sample spectra obtained from a sodium vapor lamp, a HeNe discharge, and a 670 nm diode laser.     

A high-resolution cw dye laser spectrometer

The construction and utilization of a high-resolution cw dye laser spectrometer is described. The laser incorporates pressure tuned intra-cavity etalons enabling the single mode output laser frequency to be tuned more than one nm in a continuous scan. In the scan the laser jumps from one cavity mode to the next in ～ 50 MHz steps. In comparison to molecular Doppler widths this mode jumping is negligible. As an example of the use of the instrument, a high-resolution absorption spectrum of molecular iodine between the sodium D lines is presented. A unique frequency counter provides the calibration of the absorption spectrum.     

A low-cost implementation of EPR detection in a dissolution DNP setup

The implementation of electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) detection in a low-temperature dissolution dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) setup is presented. Using a coil oriented parallel to the static magnetic field, the change of the longitudinal magnetization of free radicals is measured upon resonant irradiation of an amplitude or frequency modulated microwave (mw) field. The absorption EPR spectrum is measured if the amplitude of the mw field is modulated, whilst the first derivative of the spectrum is obtained with frequency modulation. Using a burst of pulses, it is also possible to perform pump-probe experiments such as saturation-recovery or electron-electron double resonance experiments. Furthermore, the magnetization could be monitored in a time-resolved manner during amplitude modulation, thus making it possible to record its transient as it is approaching an equilibrium value. Experimental examples are shown with frozen solutions of trityl radical and TEMPO, two commonly used radicals for dissolution DNP experiments.     

A Dynamic Nuclear Polarization spectrometer at 95 GHz/144 MHz with EPR and NMR excitation and detection capabilities

A spectrometer specifically designed for systematic studies of the spin dynamics underlying Dynamic Nuclear Polarization (DNP) in solids at low temperatures is described. The spectrometer functions as a fully operational NMR spectrometer (144 MHz) and pulse EPR spectrometer (95 GHz) with a microwave (MW) power of up to 300 mW at the sample position, generating a MW B(1) field as high as 800 KHz. The combined NMR/EPR probe comprises of an open-structure horn-reflector configuration that functions as a low Q EPR cavity and an RF coil that can accommodate a 30-50 μl sample tube. The performance of the spectrometer is demonstrated through some basic pulsed EPR experiments, such as echo-detected EPR, saturation recovery and nutation measurements, that enable quantification of the actual intensity of MW irradiation at the position of the sample. In addition, DNP enhanced NMR signals of samples containing TEMPO and trityl are followed as a function of the MW frequency. Buildup curves of the nuclear polarization are recorded as a function of the microwave irradiation time period at different temperatures and for different MW powers.     

A solid state pulsed NMR spectrometer

A 10 MHz pulsed NMR spectrometer, built using mostly solid state devices, is described. The pulse programmer provides 2-pulse, 3-pulse, saturation burst and Carr-Purcell sequences both in repetitive and manual modes of operation. The transmitter has a maximum power output of ～ 2 kW with a 75 Ω output impedance termination. The total gain of the receiver system is around 120 dB with a minimum band width of 2 MHz. The recovery time of the receiver is ～ 7 µsec. A two-channel boxcar integrator capable of working in the single channel, differential and double boxcar modes provides signal to noise ratio improvement. The sensitivity and the linearity of the boxcar integrator are ～ 2 mV and ～ 0.1% respectively.     

A high-resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometer for the detection of ultracold molecules

We have realized a high-resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometer combined with a magneto-optical trap. The spectrometer enables excellent optical access to the trapped atomic cloud using specifically devised acceleration and deflection electrodes. The ions are extracted along a laser beam axis and deflected onto an off-axis detector. The setup is applied to detect atoms and molecules photoassociated from ultracold atoms. The detection is based on resonance-enhanced multi-photon ionization. Mass resolution up to m/Δm_rms=1000 at the mass of ¹³³Cs is achieved. The performance of this spectrometer is demonstrated in the detection of photoassociated ultracold ⁷Li¹³³Cs molecules near a large signal of ¹³³Cs ions. PACS 07.75.+h; 32.80.Rm; 37.10.Gh     

Mapping the B1 field distribution with nonideal gradients in a high-resolution NMR spectrometer

To understand the behavior of many NMR experiments, it is important to determine the spatial distribution of the B1 field. In this paper, we show how this distribution can be mapped independently of spin density, coil responsiveness, and nonlinearities of the B0 field gradients. As a by-product we obtain a map of the (possibly nonlinear) spatial variation of the B0 field gradients used in the imaging procedure.     

A magnetic-free high-resolution parabolic mirror time-of-flight electron energy spectrometer

The principle and structure of a magnetic-free high-resolution high-efficiency parabolic mirror time-offligght electron energy spectrometer are presented. The electron energy spectrum of Nz in a flight tube is measured using a 105 fs Ti:sappbire laser under different gas pressures.     

A statistical analysis of NMR spectrometer noise

Estimation of NMR spectral parameters, using e.g. maximum likelihood methods, is commonly based on the assumption of white complex Gaussian noise in the signal obtained by quadrature detection. Here we present a statistical analysis with the purpose of discussing and testing the validity of this fundamental assumption. Theoretical expressions are derived for the correlation structure of the noise under various conditions, showing that in general the noise in the sampled signal is not strictly white, even if the thermal noise in the receiver steps prior to digitisation can be characterised as white Gaussian noise. It is shown that the noise correlation properties depend on the ratio between the sampling frequency and the filter cut-off frequency, as well as the filter characteristics. The theoretical analysis identifies conditions that are expected to yield non-white noise in the sampled signal. Extensive statistical characterisation of experimental noise confirms the theoretical predictions. The statistical methods outlined here are also useful for residual analysis in connection with validation of the model and the parameter estimates.     

A new X-ray spectrometer for high-resolution Compton profile measurements at SPring-8

An X-ray spectrometer for high-resolution Compton profile measurements using 90-120 keV X-rays has been designed and constructed at SPring-8. A Cauchois-type triply layered bent-crystal analyzer was employed for the energy analysis. A novel use of a solid-state detector with a large active area was devised as a position-sensitive detector. A resolution of 0.10 atomic units in electron momentum has been achieved at an incident X-ray energy of 115 keV. A Compton profile of a single crystal of Nb was measured with a counting rate of 30 counts s-1 at the Compton peak, which demonstrates that the spectrometer is capable of measuring Compton profiles of heavy-element materials.     

Single-sided sensor for high-resolution NMR spectroscopy

The unavoidable spatial inhomogeneity of the static magnetic field generated by open sensors has precluded their use for high-resolution NMR spectroscopy. In fact, this application was deemed impossible because these field variations are usually orders of magnitude larger than those created by the microscopic structure of the molecules to be detected. Recently, chemical shift resolved NMR spectra were observed for the first time outside a portable single-sided magnet by implementing a method that exploits inhomogeneities in the rf field designed to reproduce variations of the static magnetic field. In this communication, we describe in detail the magnet system built from permanent magnets as well as the rf coil geometry used to compensate the static field variations.     

A Q-band pulse EPR/ENDOR spectrometer and the implementation of advanced one- and two-dimensional pulse EPR methodology

A versatile high-power pulse Q-band EPR spectrometer operating at 34.5--35.5 GHz and in a temperature range of 4--300 K is described. The spectrometer allows one to perform one- and two-dimensional multifrequency pulse EPR and pulse ENDOR experiments, as well as continuous wave experiments. It is equipped with two microwave sources and four microwave channels to generate pulse sequences with different amplitudes, phases, and carrier frequencies. A microwave pulse power of up to 100 W is available. Two channels form radiofrequency pulses with adjustable phases for ENDOR experiments. The spectrometer performance is demonstrated by single crystal pulse ENDOR experiments on a copper complex. A HYSCORE experiment demonstrates that the advantages of high-field EPR and correlation spectroscopy can be combined and exploited at Q-band. Furthermore, we illustrate how this combination can be used in cases where the HYSCORE experiment is no longer effective at 35 GHz because of the shallow modulation depth. Even in cases where the echo modulation is virtually absent in the HYSCORE experiment at Q-band, matched microwave pulses allow one to get HYSCORE spectra with a signal-to-noise ratio as good as at X-band. Finally, it is shown that the high microwave power, the short pulses, and the broad resonator bandwidth make the spectrometer well suited to Fourier transform EPR experiments.     

A high-resolution Fourier transform spectrometer for far infrared magneto-optic spectroscopy of magnetic materials

We describe a high-resolution (0.015 cm⁻¹) Fourier transform spectrometer which has been developed to investigate bulk and surface magnetic polaritons in magnetic media by far infrared magneto-optic spectroscopy. The spectrometer uses a novel combination of laser-controlled sampling of the interferogram and phase modulation of the infrared beam to combine very accurate sampling and low signal-to-noise ratio. The spectrometer is coupled to a liquid helium cryostat with a 7 T superconducting magnet, and a liquid helium-cooled silicon bolometer is used as the detector. Samples can be mounted in the cryostat for polarised oblique incidence reflection measurements in the Voigt geometry with the applied magnetic field vertical. Measurements on surface polaritons are made by using attenuated total reflection (ATR) spectroscopy with silicon prisms to obtain the necessary wave vector enhancement. The resolution of the instrument is demonstrated with measurements on the rotational lines of water vapour, and a selection of measurements on a bulk single crystal of FeF₂, a uniaxial antiferromagnet, is presented to illustrate the performance of the instrument as a probe of magnetic excitations.     

A World-Wide Web interface to an NMR spectrometer

The architecture of a multiuser World-Wide Web NMR system has been described. The essential element of the system is the hardware and software interface between the NMR spectrometer and the user on the World-Wide Web. The hardware is a UNIX computer equipped with an S-Bus digital input-output adapter and an external analog-digital converter. Software is a World-Wide Web server and a Common-Gateway Interface program written in C language. By employing the client/server paradigm, many near-simultaneous NMR sessions can take place via the well-known environment of the modern WWW browsers. The interface can be viewed as an inexpensive migration path to upgrading older instrumentation offering much improved capabilities, e.g., faster sampling rates.     

Resonance cell of EPR spectrometer for investigation of semimagnetic-semiconductor characteristics

The results of an experimental investigation of a quasi-optical open resonator (OR) with a Hg_1–xMn_xTe semiconductor are presented. The spectra and field distributions in such a resonator at 130 GHz are shown for three characteristic sample positions in the resonance volume. Recommendations for optimal design of the resonance cell are given. The optimum operating distance between the cavity mirrors is determined to ensure the maximum sensitivity of the EPR spectrometer.Institute for Radio Electronics, Ukrainian Academy of Sciences, Khar'kov. Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Radiofizika, Vol. 38, No. 10, pp. 1077–1082, October, 1995.